Order Book Part 1

House of Commons

Session 2003 - 04
Publications on the internet
The Questions Book

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Monday 15 March 2004

Notes:
* Indicates a Question for Oral Answer.
+ Indicates a Question not included in the random selection process but accepted because the quota for that day had not been filled.
[N] Indicates a Question for Written Answer on a named day, i.e. the Member has indicated under S.O. No. 22(4) the day on which he wishes the Question to be answered.
[R] Indicates that a relevant interest has been declared.

Questions for Oral or Written Answer
beginning on Monday 15 March 2004
(the 'Questions Book')

Part 1: Written Questions for Answer on
Monday 15 March 2004

This paper contains only Written Questions for answer on Monday 15 March of which previous notice has been given in the Notices of Questions paper. They are arranged in alphabetical order of answering Department.

For other Written Questions for answer on Monday 15 March of which no previous notice has been given, see the Order Paper.

For Written and Oral Questions for answer after Monday 15 March see Part 2 of this paper.

Questions to the Minister for the Cabinet Office

1
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people (a) have so far been employed and (b) it is planned will be employed on the DirectGov project.

(161834)

2
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost has been of the establishment of the DirectGov service; what the running costs of the service will be; and if he will make a statement.

(161852)

3
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans his Department has to expand the DirectGov service; what the cost implications of those plans are; what assessment he has made of how greater efficiency in the provision of Government services could be gained through DirectGov; and if he will make a statement.

(161853)

4
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what expenditure is planned to be incurred in the establishment of the Permanent Secretary of Government Communications; and if he will make a statement.

(161951)

5
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he expects the Permanent Secretary of Government Communications to become operationally functional.

(161952)

6
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will list the enacted regulations that have been repealed on the recommendation of the Better Regulation Taskforce since it was established.

(161956)

7
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make a statement on the action taken by the Government in response to recommendations made by the Better Regulation Taskforce.

(161957)

8
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent cost-benefit analysis he has made of the Better Regulation Taskforce; and if he will make a statement.

(161958)

9
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to change the target for recruitment of people with disabilities to the Civil Service; and if he will make a statement.

(161959)

10
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to his Answer of 9th March, Official Report, column 1399W, on the Regulatory Impact Unit, on what statistical basis the statement that the UK has almost the lowest administration cost and fewer regulations for entrepreneurs than any other EU country was made; and if he will make a statement.

(161962)

11
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent steps he has taken to increase the number of people with disabilities in the Civil Service.

(162010)

12
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to his Answer of 9th March, Official Report, column 1397W, on the Better Regulation Task Force, if he will break down the cost of the Task Force by inquiry.

(162020)

13
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to his Answer of 8th March, Official Report, columns 1262-3W, on non-departmental public bodies, if he will make a statement on the change in his Department's expenditure on such bodies since 1996-97.

(162022)

Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

14
N Dr Vincent Cable (Twickenham):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made, following the publication of the Penrose Report, of (a) the percentage change in the value of an Equitable Life pension and (b) the average percentage change in the value of a with profits policy across the industry taken out (i) 20 years ago, (ii) 10 years ago and (iii) five years ago, broken down by (A) guaranteed annual return and (B) non-guaranteed annual return products.

(161470)

15
N Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the support programmes for small businesses that (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have directly financed, including lower rate tax reliefs, in each of the last five years; how much money was allocated for each scheme in each year; how much money has gone unclaimed under each scheme; and how many small businesses have benefited from each scheme.

(161256)

16
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to protect elderly people from tax liabilities arising from gifts made to their children for property purchases.

(160501)

17
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to levy income tax on gifts between family members.

(160502)

18
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families in Burton constituency are in receipt of child tax credit.

(161835)

19
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many households in Burton constituency are receiving (a) working tax credit and (b) the child care element of the working tax credit.

(161836)

20
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many jobs have been created in Burton constituency since 1997; and what the level of unemployment was in the Burton constituency in each year since 1997.

(161837)

21
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many senior citizens in (a) Burton constituency and (b) Staffordshire qualified for the 10 per cent. rate of income tax in each year since its introduction.

(161838)

22
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many businesses in (a) Burton constituency and (b) Staffordshire have benefited from the 100 per cent. tax exemption for the purchase of computer and internet equipment.

(161839)

23
N Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to levy national insurance contributions on close company dividends; and if he will make a statement.

(161524)

24
Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much money has been overpaid to tax credit recipients in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the United Kingdom in (i) 2003 and (ii) 2004 to date.

(161887)

25
Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the United Kingdom were overpaid disabled person's tax credit before its replacement by working tax credit.

(161898)

26
Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the United Kingdom have been overpaid working tax credit.

(161899)

27
Mr John McFall (Dumbarton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total amount of revenue lost as a result of tax avoidance has been in each financial year since 1997, broken down by (a) VAT, (b) corporate taxation and (c) personal taxation.

(161857)

28
Mr John McFall (Dumbarton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is regarded by his Department as (a) legitimate and (b) illegitimate avoidance of tax.

(161858)

29
Mr John McFall (Dumbarton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what action his Department has taken to establish best practice in international approaches to tackling tax avoidance.

(161859)

30
Mr John McFall (Dumbarton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which companies are known (a) to be selling or to have sold versions of the card handling scheme used to reduce VAT bills and (b) to be using or to have used the scheme; and how much revenue is involved in each case.

(161860)

31
Mr John McFall (Dumbarton):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, which companies are known to be selling or to have sold versions of the gilts scheme used to reduce income tax bills; how many individuals and companies are known to be using or to have used the scheme; and how much revenue is involved in each case.

(161861)

32
N Mr Alan Reid (Argyll & Bute):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many detector dogs are engaged in detecting illegal imports of (a) meat and (b) other animal products.

(161407)

33
Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the impact of the introduction of strip stamps upon the competitiveness of UK distillers, with particular reference to the Scotch whisky sector.

(161642)

34
Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the effect on the cost of packaging for UK distillers of the introduction of strip stamps; and what estimate he has made of a consequent impact upon consumer prices.

(161643)

35
Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the impact of the introduction of strip stamps upon the efficiency of the UK distilling sector, with particular reference to Scotch whisky distillers.

(161644)

36
Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many strip stamps he estimates UK distillers will need to purchase each year; and if he will estimate the impact of this cost upon (a) employment and (b) profitability in the UK.

(161645)

37
Mr David Stewart (Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many jobs he expects to be (a) eliminated and (b) created by the introduction of strip stamps; and what estimate he has made of possible impact upon consumer prices.

(161646)

Questions to the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs

38
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what proportion of the Department's legal aid budget has been spent in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years.

(161891)

39
Andy King (Rugby & Kenilworth):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, whether the fines officers working in the pilot enforcement programmes in (a) Cambridgeshire, (b) Cheshire, (c) Cumbria, (d) Devon and Cornwall, (e) Gloucester and (f) South Yorkshire implementing the Courts Act 2003 have been informed about the procedures covering vulnerable situations set out on page nine of the National Standards for Enforcement Agents issued by the Lord Chancellor's Department in April 2002.

(161785)

40
Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, whether the British former detainees held at the prison camp in Guantanamo in Cuba would be eligible to claim financial aid to support a case to sue the United States authorities for compensation for unlawful detention.

(161759)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

41
Mr Tim Boswell (Daventry):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how she will operate the public interest test in proposed commercial radio mergers.

(161672)

42
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what budget (a) was set for 2003-04 and (b) has been allocated for 2004-05 and 2005-06 by each Government Department for the Fair Share initiative, broken down by English region.

(161650)

43
N Mr David Hinchliffe (Wakefield):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list the honours which have been awarded to surviving members of the Great Britain Rugby League World Cup winning sides of (a)1954 and (b) 1972; and if she will make a statement.

(161215)

44
N Mr David Hinchliffe (Wakefield):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list the membership of the advisory committee responsible for recommending the awarding of honours to persons involved in sport; what the background is of each member; how long each has served on the committee; what their sporting expertise is; and if she will make a statement.

(161216)

45
N Mr David Hinchliffe (Wakefield):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many honours were awarded for sporting involvement or achievement in the last five years, broken down by sport.

(161217)

46
Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what reports she has received from the Digital Televisions Consumer Expert Group.

(161784)

47
Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the level of take-up of digital television services has been from 1998 to the most recent date for which figures are available, broken down by region; and what steps have been taken since June 2003 to improve the collection and compilation of regional data.

(161914)

48
Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer to the honourable Member for Coventry South, of 2nd March, Official Report, column 825W, when she expects the review of legal constraints on digital television signals to be completed.

(161919)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Defence

49
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has for the future protection of the Merchant Navy.

(161912)

50
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has for the decommissioning of (a) HMS Norfolk and (b) HMS Iron Duke.

(161913)

51
Mr Gerald Howarth (Aldershot):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer to the honourable Member for City of Durham of 9th March, Official Report, column 1401W, on defence contractors, what contracts for the supply of equipment have been awarded to RUAG and are currently in operation; what action has been taken to enforce the contract under which supplies were suspended by the Swiss government during the Iraq war; and for what reason he maintains no records centrally of similar contract breaches by other suppliers to his Department.

(161778)

52
Glenda Jackson (Hampstead & Highgate):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if, prior to putting in place the planned increase in public insurance liability to cover the submarine reactor fuel core factory and associated Neptune test reactor as proposed in the Departmental minute of 11th March, he will place in the Library a copy of full risk appraisal referred to in the minute.

(161971)

53
N Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2nd March, Official Report, column 790W, on Iraq, how many rounds were issued to the Royal Military Police Personnel who lost their lives in Al Majar Al Kabir on 24th June 2003; and if he will make a statement.

(160227)

54
N Mr Paul Keetch (Hereford):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 2nd March, Official Report, column 792W, on Operation Telic, when each request was filed; whether it was approved; when the equipment arrived in theatre; and if he will make a statement.

(160228)

55
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total amount of ordnance destroyed in the UK by controlled explosions was in the last five years; and what sorts of ordnance were involved.

(161868)

56
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what help is given to Territorial Army soldiers who have lost their job owing to service with the military in the last five years; and how many TA personnel have been affected.

(161869)

57
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the life expectancy is of (a) Swingfire, (b) Milan and (c) artillery shells in war stocks; and what the policy of removal is.

(161870)

58
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what help will be given to Qinetiq to dispose of ordnance in the UK.

(161872)

59
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the role of the range at Weston Super Mare will be following the loss of missiles from it in 2003.

(161873)

60
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many objects were dropped by aircraft on the range at Kilve Bend in Somerset in the last five years.

(161874)

61
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the total number of (a) man hours and (b) resources were spent on looking for the missile lost in the Bristol Channel in the last five years.

(161875)

62
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many armaments were lost in the Bristol Channel and the Severn estuary in the last five years.

(161876)

63
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what help is being given to Qinetiq to help find the missile lost in the Bristol Channel.

(161877)

64
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps will be taken to find the missiles lost in the Bristol Channel in 2001.

(161878)

65
N Andrew Mackinlay (Thurrock):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, apart from the colours displayed in Windsor Castle, where the regimental silver and other artifacts of the Irish regiments disbanded in 1922 are held; and if he will make a statement.

(158838)

66
Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what initiatives have been taken by AWE Aldermaston to diversify out of nuclear warhead research, development and production.

(161756)

Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister

67
N Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will list the support programmes for small businesses that (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have financed in each of the last five years; how much money was allocated for each scheme in each year; how much money has gone unclaimed under each scheme; and how many small businesses have benefited from each scheme.

(161253)

68
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what budget (a) was set for 2003-04 and (b) has been allocated for 2004-05 and 2005-06 by his Department for neighbourhood management pilots, broken down by (i) English region and (ii) management pilot area.

(161653)

69
N Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make legislative provision for (a) radon tests to be carried out on (i) old and (ii) new homes and (b) to require a radon test certificate to be furnished at the time of conveyancing.

(161517)

70
Mr David Drew (Stroud):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, which local authorities will hold a ballot in the next six months to determine the future of their council housing stock.

(161780)

71
Mr Andy Reed (Loughborough):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what representations he has received on extending the definition of houses in multiple occupation to include student houses occupied by fewer than five persons; and if he will make a statement.

(161967)

72
Mr Andy Reed (Loughborough):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how much is being paid to Charnwood Borough Council through the Revenue Support Grant in 2003-04 to compensate for council tax revenue lost as a result of the exemption for houses in multiple occupation occupied solely by students; and if he will make a statement.

(162015)

73
Mr Andy Reed (Loughborough):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will estimate the revenue lost to Charnwood Borough Council in 2003-04 through exemption for council tax of houses of multiple occupation occupied solely by students.

(162016)

74
Mr Andy Reed (Loughborough):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, if he will make it his policy to permit local authorities to charge landlords council tax for houses in multiple occupation occupied solely by students; and if he will make a statement.

(162017)

75
N Mr Anthony Steen (Totnes):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, how public participation is implemented in the Quality Parish and Town Council Scheme; and if he will make a statement on how the scheme is progressing.

(161192)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills

76
Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his Answer of 9th March, Official Report, column 1381W, on school exclusions (cannabis), when the first term's data, on the reasons for exclusions from schools, will be available.

(161793)

77
N Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list the support programmes for small businesses that (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have financed in each of the last five years; how much money was allocated for each scheme in each year; how much money has gone unclaimed under each scheme; and how many small businesses have benefited from each scheme.

(161254)

78
Mr Jim Cousins (Newcastle upon Tyne Central):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will set out the sequence of changes in financial allocations to the Newcastle Children's Fund Partnership for 2004-05; whether the clawback of funds in the 2003-04 year has been reversed; what the outline annual planning figures are for the partnership for (a) 2004-05 and (b) 2005-06; and whether underspending in earlier years can be added to future planning totals.

(161949)

79
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what budget (a) was set for 2003-04 and (b) has been allocated for 2004-05 and 2005-06 by each relevant Government department for neighbourhood nurseries, broken down by English region.

(161652)

80
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many free places were available for (a) three-year olds and (b) four-year olds in the Burton constituency in each of the last seven years.

(161841)

81
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much public funding was spent per pupil in Staffordshire in each of the last seven years.

(161842)

82
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many teaching assistants there were in (a) Staffordshire and (b) the Burton constituency in each of the last seven years.

(161843)

83
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many teachers there were in (a) Staffordshire and (b) the Burton constituency in each of the last seven years.

(161844)

84
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what public funding has been spent on adult (a) literacy and (b) numeracy in (i) the Burton constituency and (ii) Staffordshire in each of the last seven years.

(161845)

85
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much public funding has been spent on computers for schools in the Burton constituency for each of the last seven years.

(161846)

86
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many residents of the Burton constituency have undertaken apprenticeships in each of the last seven years.

(161847)

87
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much funding each school in (a) Burton constituency and (b) Staffordshire has received from the New Deal for School.

(161848)

88
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much total capital expenditure has been spent on schools in (a) Burton constituency and (b) Staffordshire in each of the last 10 years.

(161849)

89
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much money has been invested in school sports halls in Burton constituency in each year since 1996, broken down by school.

(161850)

90
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children have benefited from the National Childcare Strategy in the Burton constituency; and if he will make a statement.

(161851)

91
N Mr John Denham (Southampton, Itchen):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what funds he has made available to develop extended schools in Southampton.

(161133)

92
N Mr John Denham (Southampton, Itchen):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what opportunities there are for Southampton local education authority to bid for funds for extended schools.

(161134)

93
N Mr John Denham (Southampton, Itchen):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make it his policy to enable local education authorities which are experiencing falling school rolls to use surplus capacity to develop (a) extended schools under the Government's extended schools programme and (b) the co-location of health, social services and parenting support provided by local agencies.

(161135)

94
N Mr John Denham (Southampton, Itchen):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what progress has been made on the implementation of the extended schools programme; and if he will make a statement.

(161136)

95
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much public funding was spent per pupil on (a) primary and (b) secondary education in (i) Ribble Valley and Fulwood, (ii) Lancashire and (iii) the North West in each of the last five years.

(161807)

96
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what percentage of pupils in (a) Ribble Valley and Fulwood constituency, (b) Lancashire and (c) the North West achieved three grade As or more at A-level in each year since 1997-98.

(161808)

97
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many spare places have been available at the beginning of each school year since 1997-98 at each school in the Ribble Valley constituency.

(161809)

98
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many pupils were being educated at each key stage in the Ribble Valley constituency in each school year since 1997-98.

(161810)

99
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many pupils were on the roll in each secondary school in the Ribble Valley and Fulwood constituency in each year since 1998; and what percentage (a) were eligible for and (b) took up free school meals.

(161811)

100
N Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what proportion of student loans he estimates will not be paid off after 25 years following the introduction of top-up fees.

(161137)

101
N Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what estimate of (a) the proportion of the overall student loan book, (b) the total value of loans and (c) the total number of individual loans that would remain outstanding after 25 years he used in calculating the level of cost to the Government of his proposal to write off all loans after that period.

(161138)

102
Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what factors he takes into account when determining the level of grant allocated to each Connexions partnership.

(161916)

103
Charles Hendry (Wealden):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what services are contracted out to external providers through the Learning and Skills Council; and if he will make a statement.

(161917)

104
Stephen Hesford (Wirral West):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many three and four-year olds attended part-time nurseries on the latest date for which figures are available.

(161654)

105
N Mr David Hinchliffe (Wakefield):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children have been removed from parents on the basis of a diagnosis of myalgic encephalomyelitis in children for which parents have been classed as having Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy; and if he will make a statement.

(160650)

106
N Mr Mark Hoban (Fareham):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what the cost was of the school-based research programme on best practice; what the outputs were of this programme; and to what use they were put.

(161473)

107
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what his policy is on Sure Start; and what staffing resources have been allocated to implement Sure Start in Somerset in 2003-04.

(161864)

108
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what funding is being allocated to Sure Start in the next three years.

(161865)

109
Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how much was spent by prisons in England and Wales on providing (a) basic skills entry level tuition, (b) basic skills level 1 tuition, (c) basic skills level 2 tuition and (d) key work skills tuition in 2002-03.

(161720)

110
Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many prisoners (a) commenced and (b) successfully completed basic skills training in 2002-03; and how many (i) entry level awards, (ii) level 1 awards, (iii) level 2 awards and (iv) key work skills awards there were.

(161721)

111
N James Purnell (Stalybridge & Hyde):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will publish the progress reports the Department receives from specialist sports colleges monitoring their commitment to the provision of out-of-hours community use of their sports facilities.

(160503)

112
Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on the availability of qualified teacher status training for Welsh residents in English teacher training colleges located close to the Welsh border.

(161760)

113
Mr Mark Todd (South Derbyshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure that children are given information in school on the risks of alcohol.

(161655)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

114
N Mr Peter Ainsworth (East Surrey):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will establish who paid for the research on the GM farm scale evaluations undertaken by members of the Scientific Steering Committee and published by Nature on 5th March.

(161520)

115
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what modelling her Department has (a) undertaken and (b) commissioned into the possible impact of the implementation of higher environmental standards on illegal waste (i) management and (ii) disposal activity.

(161800)

116
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the average annual cost to a waste disposal authority of the disposal in landfill sites of disposable nappies; what discussions she has had with local authorities about ways of reducing those costs; what steps she takes to promote best practice in such matters; and if she will make a statement.

(161854)

117
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the tonnage of disposable nappies that was disposed of in landfill sites in the last five years; what percentage of that tonnage is represented by (a) faeces and urine and (b) the original weight of the nappy; and what assessment she has made of the public health implications of the disposal in landfill sites of the untreated raw sewage in disposable nappies.

(161855)

118
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department takes to promote the uptake of reusable nappies.

(161856)

119
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what initiatives she plans to reduce the impact upon the environment of the use of disposable nappies.

(161911)

120
N Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will list the support programmes for small businesses that (a) her Department and (b) its agencies have financed, including Common Agricutural Policy payments in each of the last five years; how much money was allocated for each scheme in each year; how much money has gone unclaimed under each scheme; and how many small businesses have benefited from each scheme.

(161255)

121
N Dr Jack Cunningham (Copeland):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with (a) the Scottish Executive, (b) the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and (c) the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority about proposals by the latter to transfer low level radioactive waste from Dounreay to Drigg; why the application for a licence was not advertised in England; and if she will make a statement.

(160504)

122
N Dr Jack Cunningham (Copeland):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has agreed to proposals by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority to transfer radioactive waste from Dounreay to Drigg in Cumbria.

(160505)

123
Mr Edward Davey (Kingston & Surbiton):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what budget (a) was set for 2003-04 and (b) has been allocated for 2004-05 and 2005-06 by each relevant Government department for the Market Towns Initiative, broken down by English region.

(161651)

124
Mr Brian H. Donohoe (Cunninghame South):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether ink cartridges will be included under the guidelines of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive; and if she will make a statement.

(161783)

125
N Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department withheld any evidence on the origins of the 2001 Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak from Dr Iain Anderson's inquiry.

(161521)

126
N Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether evidence prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's veterinary surgeon Mr J. Dring in respect of her inspection of Burnside Farm, Northumberland during early February 2001 was presented to Dr Iain Anderson to assist him with his inquiry into the cause of the foot and mouth disease outbreak.

(161522)

127
N Andrew George (St Ives):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her statement of 9th March, Official Report, columns 1381-1384, on GM policy, what new evidence applicants for the recently approved GM fodder maize need to provide before the renewal of the contract to grow this crop before October 2006.

(161523)

128
Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she will reply to the letter to her from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton, dated 5th February with regard to Ms C. Holden.

(161802)

129
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what help is being given to farmers on the Somerset levels to help with flooding under the mid-term Common Agricultural Policy reform.

(161879)

130
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much money was given to the Wessex Flood Defence Committee in (a) 2002-03 and (b) 2003-04.

(161880)

131
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what help is given to the Exmoor area to secure the highest possible payments in respect of EU funding for farmers.

(161881)

132
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the total amount of money paid in subsidies to farmers on Exmoor was in (a) 2001-02 and (b) 2002-03.

(161882)

133
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what subsidy will be given to farms on the Somerset levels in the financial years (a) before and (b) after the mid-term Common Agricultural Policy reform.

(161883)

134
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what help will be given to Exmoor farmers as a result of the mid-term Common Agricultural Policy reform.

(161884)

135
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proposed timetable she has been given for the Parrett sluice.

(161885)

136
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent submissions she has received concerning the Parrett Catchment Project.

(161886)

137
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, under which powers the Environment Agency is charging for maps of flood risk areas; and if she will make a statement.

(161961)

138
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the results have been of the consultation on no crop spray buffer zones; and whether she proposes to introduce no crop spray buffer zones.

(162027)

139
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the purpose is of the six-day rule for auction marts; what representations she has received on lifting the six-day rule of auction marts; if she will lift the six-day rule of auction marts; and if she will make a statement.

(162028)

140
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the level of duty on bio-ethanol.

(162029)

141
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what measures her Department is taking to combat bovine TB.

(162030)

142
Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the average cod by-catch recorded from Scottish vessels fishing in ICES (a) IVa and (b) IVb areas was during 2003.

(161992)

143
Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the scientific justification was for the reduction in the 2004 haddock total allowable catch allocation for the Rockall haddock fishery.

(161993)

144
Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the current condition is of the West of Scotland nephrops stock.

(161994)

145
Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether survey findings reliant on data obtained using the Granton trawl are comparable with findings reliant on data obtained using the GOV trawl.

(161995)

146
Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the differences are in the characteristics between the GOV and Granton trawls in terms of their respective ability to catch cod.

(161996)

147
Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Granton trawl used by UK survey vessels in the North Sea was replaced by the GOV trawl.

(161997)

148
Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her estimate is of the proportion of North Sea fish stocks which have gravitated to oil and gas rig exclusion areas and are not accessible to commercial fisherman.

(161998)

149
Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to what extent the previous year's landing of any specific fish species influences the setting of total allowable catches.

(161999)

150
Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what adjustments are made to landing figures of fish species to account for (a) discards and (b) under-reporting in order to estimate the true levels of fishing mortality; and whether those adjustments have been constant in recent years.

(162000)

151
Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what corrections are applied to bottom trawl survey catch figures to adjust for the catchability limitations of the gear used.

(162001)

152
Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the implications of Council Regulation (EC) No 1954/2003 of 4th November 2003, on the management of the fishing effort relating to certain Community fishing areas, are for UK fishermen.

(162002)

153
Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 9th February, Official Report, column 1148W, on fish stocks, what assessment she has made of the accuracy of scientific assessments of the levels of fish stocks.

(162019)

154
Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 9th February, Official Report, column 1148W, on fish stocks, what scientific investigations have been carried out to determine the migration patterns of North Sea cod.

(162021)

155
Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 10th February, Official Report, column 1300W, on fisheries, what assessment she has made of the reason for the reduced cod recruitment in the North Sea since the 1980s.

(162023)

156
Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 10th February, Official Report, column 1300W, on fisheries, whether the GOV trawl used by North Sea survey vessels is optimised for the catching of cod.

(162024)

157
Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 23rd February, Official Report, column 134W, on fisheries, what investigations she has carried out to determine the effect of environmental change and species interactions because of increased water temperature in the North Sea.

(162025)

158
Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 23rd February, Official Report, column 135W, on fisheries, on what evidence scientists have based their advice that over the last 20 years the fishing rate on cod has been five times that required to promote optimal use of the cod stock.

(162026)

159
Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what account is taken of the gravitation of commercial fish species to oil and gas pipelines and rigs in the conduct of abundance surveys.

(162031)

160
Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to her Answer of 12th January, Official Report, column 496W, on fisheries, in what direction in the vertical plane cod seek to escape towed trawl nets; and what the equivalent behaviour is of haddock.

(162035)

161
N Mr Alan Reid (Argyll & Bute):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the progress of the Government's action plan on illegal imports of meat, other animal products, plants and plant products.

(161406)

162
Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will publish her Department's assessment of the section of the GM national consultation concerned with the practicality of co-existence between GM and non-GM crops.

(161758)

163
Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will conduct investigations into the feasibility of GM free zones being established in areas in Wales and Scotland bordering England where English farmers cultivating border farms decide to grow GM crops.

(161781)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

164
N Mr Michael Ancram (Devizes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many conferences were hosted by the Department in the UK and abroad in the year to 29th February; and what the cost was of these conferences, broken down by (a) travel costs, (b) food and drink, (c) accommodation and (d) miscellaneous costs.

(160796)

165
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of (a) indigenous Tibetans and (b) Han Chinese in (i) the Tibetan Autonomous Region and (ii) Greater Tibet, based on the 1950 boundaries.

(161732)

166
Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he will reply to the letter to him from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 19th January with regard to Mrs M. Sam.

(161806)

167
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many bottles of wine are held by his Department.

(162012)

168
Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on the (a) matters discussed and (b) outcome of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors' consideration of the Iranian nuclear programme on 10th to 11th March.

(161757)

169
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has received from (a) Amnesty International and (b) the international community on gender-based violence in Russia; and if he will make a statement.

(161944)

170
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many Chevening scholarships were awarded in each of the last three years, broken down by country of origin of students.

(161945)

171
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to enable students who are exiled from their own country to be able to bid for Chevening scholarships.

(161946)

172
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent surveys have been conducted into the refugee situation in Guinea; what conclusions he has drawn; and if he will make a statement.

(161948)

173
Mr Simon Thomas (Ceredigion):To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Government of Myanmar regarding the (a) civil and (b) political rights of the Karen people.

(161648)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Health

174
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to ensure that cotton nappies are available in all packs given to mothers of new born babies.

(161729)

175
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that data collected from new mothers by Bounty is (a) subject to the Data Protection Act and (b) not passed on for commercial reasons.

(161730)

176
Norman Baker (Lewes):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much money the NHS has received from Bounty this year; and how much it has received in kind.

(161731)

177
N Mr Keith Bradley (Manchester, Withington):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much additional money will be allocated to (a) South Manchester Primary Care Trust and (b) Central Manchester Primary Care Trust as a result of the amendments to the census figures for the City of Manchester.

(161472)

178
N Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations his Department has received regarding the ingredients used in infant formula.

(161343)

179
N Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations his Department has received in the last 12 months about breaches of infant formula and follow-on formula regulations.

(161344)

180
N Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what evidence he has collated about the relationship between breast feeding and obesity.

(161345)

181
N Annette Brooke (Mid Dorset & North Poole):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the National Service Framework for Children will include a national breast feeding strategy.

(161346)

182
N Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many deaths were attributable to radon gas exposure in each of the last five years.

(160426)

183
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the ratio of dentists to population is in each of the primary care trusts in England.

(162018)

184
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many training places for dentists have been available in each of the last 10 years.

(162032)

185
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many places were available in each of the dental schools in each of the last 10 years.

(162033)

186
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many dentists qualified in each of the last 10 years.

(162034)

187
Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what measures are in place to ensure that hospitals provide (a) nutritious and (b) high quality food for patients.

(161649)

188
Mr Bruce George (Walsall South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action his Department is taking to encourage the NHS to make wider use of non-consultant career grade doctors in dermatology.

(161673)

189
Mr Bruce George (Walsall South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the difference in pay between experienced non-consultant career grade doctors and general practitioners with special interests; and if he will make a statement.

(161674)

190
Mr Bruce George (Walsall South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action his Department is taking to reduce the number of non-consultant career grade redundancies in dermatology arising from the withdrawal of primary care trust funding.

(161675)

191
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to ensure that appropriate procedures are being put in place to monitor the quality and effectiveness of methods for dealing with complaints in relation to care homes, in the transition from the National Care Standards Commission to the Commission for Social Care Inspection.

(161830)

192
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what action he plans to take to investigate price differentials between self-funded and publicity-funded residents in care homes, in order to establish whether there is evidence of cross-subsidisation.

(161831)

193
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the timetable is for the development of (a) accessible and (b) understandable information about care homes to enable consumers to make more informed choices.

(161832)

194
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make a statement on the decision by the Office of Fair Trading to undertake an investigation into the care home market.

(161833)

195
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average waiting time for DXA scans was (a) in total and (b) broken down by strategic health authority in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(161922)

196
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many hospitals are equipped to perform DXA scans (a) in total and (b) broken down by strategic health authority; and if he will make a statement.

(161923)

197
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average distance travelled by patients in need of a DXA scan has been since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(161924)

198
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have been receiving publicly funded intensive home care or home help in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(161925)

199
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will list treatments available on the NHS for which there is an upper age limit; if he will specify the upper age limit for each treatment to which this is applicable; and if he will make a statement.

(161926)

200
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the link between hormone replacement therapy and an increased risk of (a) stroke and (b) heart disease; and if he will make a statement.

(161927)

201
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many women in England were prescribed hormone replacement therapy, broken down by drug type, in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(161928)

202
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to set further milestones for the National Service Framework for Older People; and if he will make a statement.

(161930)

203
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many and what percentage of care homes have dedicated respite care places in England; and if he will make a statement.

(161931)

204
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what percentage of local authority-funded home care and home help hours in England were contracted out to independent sector providers (a) in total and (b) broken down by local authority, in each year since 1993; and if he will make a statement.

(161932)

205
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for which of his Department's National Service Frameworks specific funding has been allocated to primary care trusts for the delivery of the guidelines; and if he will make a statement.

(161935)

206
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what representations he has received on poor concordance with medication for older people living in sheltered housing.

(161937)

207
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what monitoring is undertaken by his Department of the medication of older people with particular reference to (a) concordance and (b) over-medication; and if he will make a statement.

(161938)

208
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many adverse drug reactions and adverse incidents relating to the medication of older people living in sheltered housing there were in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

(161939)

209
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance he has provided to staff at extra care sheltered housing schemes with regard to management and administration of the medicines of frail elderly people.

(161940)

210
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what rules apply to the use by a pharmaceutical manufacturer of tamper-proof packaging on a medical product; and if he will make a statement.

(161970)

211
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many complaints the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has received in the past 12 months about changes by pharmaceutical distributors to manufacturers' packaging and related materials.

(162005)

212
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has received representations about the health risks posed by changes to the packaging of pharmaceutical products during distribution.

(162008)

213
Chris Grayling (Epsom & Ewell):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will introduce tighter guidelines on the right to change or modify the packaging of pharmaceutical products during the distribution process.

(162009)

214
N Mr Fabian Hamilton (Leeds North East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what powers NHS staff have to prevent the release of a body from a hospital solely because funeral arrangements have not been made.

(159999)

215
N Mr Fabian Hamilton (Leeds North East):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, under what powers staff in the NHS must release the bodies of those who die in hospitals.

(160000)

216
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many vacancies there are for pathologists in each primary care trust area; and what plans he has for filling the vacant positions.

(161968)

217
Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will reply to the letter to him from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton, dated 17th February with regard to Dr P.W. Bishop.

(161801)

218
Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he will reply to the letter to him from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 12th February with regard to Dr Lieberman.

(161803)

219
Mr Alan Milburn (Darlington):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) elderly people and (b) disabled people in each local authority have been offered a direct payment in the latest year for which figures are available.

(161915)

220
N Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the incidence of multi-drug resistant TB was in each year since 1990.

(161045)

221
N Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which of the action plans announced in his report Getting Ahead of the Game in January 2002 have been produced; when he intends to publish them; and if he will make a statement.

(161139)

222
N Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of TB there were in England in the last period for which figures are available, broken down by (a) age, (b) sex, (c) ethnicity and (d) patient's country of origin.

(161140)

223
N Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of TB were reported in each month since 1997.

(161141)

224
N Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many new cases of TB were reported in England in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by health authority.

(161142)

225
Mr David Wilshire (Spelthorne):To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his Answer of 2nd March, Official Report, column 861W, on Mercury Healthcare, if he will make a statement on the reasons why the Government decided to switch preferred bidder status from Mercury Healthcare to Capio UK in relation to the provision of a diagnostic treatment centre at Ashford Hospital, Middlesex.

(162011)

Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department

226
Mr Wayne David (Caerphilly):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the timescale is for the introduction of the new National Offender Management Service.

(161641)

227
N Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the objectives of his Department's campaign to advertise the reclassification of cannabis were; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the campaign against its objectives.

(161518)

228
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria are used to determine whether self-employed tradesmen who are not UK nationals may enter the UK; and in what circumstances these criteria may be waived in (a) part and (b) full.

(161814)

229
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for work permits from self-employed businessmen from EU accession countries were successful in each month of the last three years, broken down by country of origin.

(161815)

230
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of people from EU accession countries living and working in the UK; and how many of those he estimates are working illegally.

(161816)

231
N Annabelle Ewing (Perth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, who will operate the New Workers Registration Scheme.

(161408)

232
N Annabelle Ewing (Perth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what (a) budgetary and (b) staffing resources are to be allocated to the New Workers Registration Scheme.

(161409)

233
N Annabelle Ewing (Perth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the New Workers Registration Scheme will commence operations.

(161410)

234
N Annabelle Ewing (Perth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what target is to be set concerning the average time for the processing of work registration applications.

(161411)

235
N Annabelle Ewing (Perth):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether specific arrangements are to be made for Scotland under the New Workers Registration Scheme.

(161412)

236
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of kinship foster carers (a) as a total for England, (b) aged 50 to 64 and (c) aged 65 and over; and if he will make a statement.

(161934)

237
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many existing care home staff had enhanced level Criminal Records Bureau checks processed by 31st December 2003; what percentage this constitutes of the total number of existing care home staff; and if he will make a statement.

(161936)

238
N Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) women and (b) men were being held in prison on 10th March.

(161626)

239
N Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners were released on early release on 10th March.

(161627)

240
N Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners were eligible for early release on 10th March.

(161628)

241
N Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many prisoners were released on 10th March.

(161629)

242
N Mrs Cheryl Gillan (Chesham & Amersham):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Written Statement of 10th March, Official Report, columns 101-2WS, on crime disorder reduction partnerships, if he will list the grants each partnership will receive; when they will receive them; and what the process of distribution will be.

(161630)

243
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many UK Immigration Service staff are based in Northern Ireland, broken down by grade; and in what locations they are based.

(161796)

244
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many foreign nationals have claimed asylum upon arrival at Northern Ireland (a) ports and (b) airports in each of the past five years; and from what countries they originated.

(161797)

245
Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what mechanisms are used to monitor the impact of section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 on levels of destitution amongst people seeking asylum.

(162014)

246
Mr Gerald Kaufman (Manchester, Gorton):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will reply to the letter to him from the Right honourable Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 27th January with regard to Mr Guhar Ali Khan.

(161805)

247
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many traffic wardens there are in (a) Avon and Somerset and (b) Devon and Cornwall.

(161863)

248
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much was spent in the Avon and Somerset police force area in 2003-04 to combat drug abuse.

(161867)

249
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers there were in (a) Avon and Somerset and (b) Devon and Cornwall in (i) 1999-2000, (ii) 2000-01, (iii) 2001-02, (iv) 2002-03 and (v) 2003-04.

(161871)

250
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 2nd March, Official Report, column 901W, on drug testing and treatment, if he will break down the number of drug treatment and testing orders issued in the York Petty Sessional Area by bench areas.

(161774)

251
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the success rate is of drug treatment and testing orders (a) in England, (b) in the York Petty Sessional Area and (c) in each bench area in the York Petty Sessional Area.

(161775)

252
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many drug treatment and testing orders have been revoked in the York Petty Sessional Area; and what the reasons were for revoking them.

(161776)

253
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the recommended timescale is for moving between the stages of sentence, initial probabtion appointment, commencement on programme and receiving prescription drugs.

(161777)

254
Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 10th March, Official Report, column 1571-2W, on coroners' inquiries, what the average length of time in bringing cases before the coroners' courts in (a) North Yorkshire, (b) East Yorkshire, (c) West Yorkshire and (d) South Yorkshire was in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2003.

(161972)

255
N Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Eastern Europeans have been granted (a) leave to enter the United Kingdom and (b) leave to remain in the United Kingdom pursuant to European Community Association agreements in each of the last 12 months.

(161617)

256
N Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what ministerial instructions have been issued to his departmental staff on changes to requirements on Eastern Europeans seeking to enter the United Kingdom pursuant to European Community Association agreements.

(161618)

257
N Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the requirements imposed on Eastern Europeans seeking to enter or remain in the United Kingdom pursuant to (a) European Community Association agreements and (b) the BRACE policy.

(161619)

258
N Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is his policy to remove failed Afghan asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement.

(161620)

259
N Mr Humfrey Malins (Woking):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the type of businesses in respect of which permission was granted in relation to Eastern Europeans for (a) leave to remain in the United Kingdom and (b) leave to enter the United Kingdom in the last 12 months pursuant to European Community Association agreements, broken down by number of each type of business.

(161621)

260
Mr John Maples (Stratford-on-Avon):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many complaints were made to the (a) Security Services Tribunal and (b) Intelligence Services Tribunal in each of the last five years; and how many complaints to each tribunal were upheld in each year.

(161779)

261
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how the Criminal Records Bureau checks addresses and criminal records in application forms.

(161950)

262
Mr Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether, under future market tests of publicly run prisons, staff transferred to a private sector operator will be protected by the two tier workforce provisions applicable to local government employees in a similar position.

(161960)

263
Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted under (i) section 172, (ii) section 172a and (iii) section 173 of the Licensing Act 1964 in each year since 1997; and how many landlords have had their licences revoked due to breach of these provisions.

(161719)

264
Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) civil servants in his Department, (b) civil servants in other departments and (c) external consultants are employed in taking forward his proposals for (i) identity cards, (ii) the National Identity Register and (iii) the draft identity cards legislation.

(161786)

265
Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people are employed by his Department's Research and Statistics Directorate; and how many employees there were in each year since 1997.

(161787)

266
Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many research projects have been undertaken by (a) in-house researchers in the Research and Statistics Directorate and (b) external contractors in each year since 1997.

(161788)

267
Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many hours on average adult prisoners spent on (a) education, broken down by (i) literacy, (ii) numeracy and (iii) other education-related activities, (b) exercise, (c) vocational work and (d) community work in the last year for which figures are available.

(161789)

268
Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department has taken to improve the efficiency of the police since 1997, with particular reference to information and communication technology; and if he will make a statement.

(161790)

269
Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 2nd March, Official Report, column 899W, on criminal assets, what proportion of (a) cash seizures, (b) confiscation orders, (c) restraint orders and (d) freezing orders made to date were related to drug offences; what proportion of the money which has been successfully recovered to date has been allocated to (a) crime reduction projects and (b) central Treasury funds; and how he plans to allocate amounts seized in future.

(161791)

270
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of owners of self-contained gas cartridge airguns who will apply for licences before becoming liable for prosecution under the terms of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003.

(161733)

271
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much money his Department has spent on advertisments in (a) the shooting press and (b) the general media to publicise the recent change in the law on self-contained gas cartridge airguns; and if he will break down the amount of money spent on advertisments in the general media by (i) newspaper, (ii) radio and (iii) television advertising.

(161734)

272
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will extend the deadline for the coming into force of the recent change in the law on self-contained gas cartridge airguns to allow for extended publicity of the change in the law.

(161735)

273
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding his Department (a) allocated and (b) spent on publicising the recent change in the law on self-contained gas cartridge airguns.

(161736)

274
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the number of self-contained cartridge airguns in the United Kingdom.

(161737)

275
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions his Department has had with Brococks to determine the number of self-contained gas cartridge airguns they have sold in the UK since 1989.

(161738)

276
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information he has collated on the number of self-contained gas cartridge airguns converted to fire live ammunition which have been recovered by the police in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(161739)

277
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information he has collated on the number of people (a) killed and (b) injured by self-contained gas cartridge airguns converted to fire live ammunition in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

(161740)

278
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what organisations he has met to discuss publicising the recent change in the law on self-contained gas cartridge airguns.

(161741)

279
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many posters and leaflets on the change in the law on self-contained gas cartridge airguns have been sent by his Department to (a) the British Association of Shooting and Conservation, (b) the National Small-bore Rifle Association, (c) the National Rifle Association, (d) the Clay Pigeon Shooting Association, (e) the Countryside Alliance, (f) the Airgun Manufacturers Trade Association, (g) the British Field Target Association, (h) the British Airgun Shooters Association, (i) the Gun Trade Association and (j) the Sportsman's Association.

(161742)

280
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the provisions in the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 relating to self-contained gas cartridge airguns will come into force.

(161743)

281
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the (a) minimum and (b) maximum penalties are for possession of a self-contained gas cartridge airgun under the provisions of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003.

(161744)

282
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the manufacturers of self-contained gas cartridge airguns that have been sold in the UK; and what estimate he has made of how many such airguns have been sold by each manufacturer since 1989.

(161745)

283
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which manufacturers of self-contained gas cartridge airguns have been sent publicity material by his Department on the recent change in the law on self-contained gas cartridge airguns; and how many posters and leaflets have been sent in each case.

(161746)

284
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information he has collated on the length of time it takes the police to process an application to license a self-contained gas cartridge airgun.

(161747)

285
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information he has collated on the number of applications for licences to own self-contained gas cartridge airguns received by the police in each of the last five years, broken down by constabulary.

(161748)

286
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information he has collated on the number of self-contained gas cartridge airguns handed into the police for destruction in each of the last five years, broken down by constabulary.

(161749)

287
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with (a) the police and (b) the Court Service regarding the number of prosecutions for possession of an unlicensed self-contained gas cartridge airgun that can be expected after the relevant provisions in the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 come fully into force.

(161750)

288
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance he has issued to the police regarding the prosecution of those unaware that they will require a licence for possession of a self-contained gas cartridge airgun.

(161751)

289
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the publicity material for the recent change in the law on self-contained gas cartridge airguns was also produced in Welsh.

(161752)

290
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will publish the consultation paper for the Home Office Review of firearms legislation.

(161761)

291
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the purpose is of his Department's review of firearms legislation.

(161762)

292
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how long will be allowed for the consultation on his Department's review of firearms legislation.

(161763)

293
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations he has received regarding the current law on firearms in the last three months.

(161764)

294
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his policy is on liaison between the Firearms Consultative Committee and a parallel body established in Northern Ireland.

(161765)

295
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make a statement on his policy on responsible and safe shooting sports conducted in accordance with the law.

(161766)

296
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he last met representatives of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation; and what was discussed.

(161767)

297
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which stakeholder organisations he plans to meet to discuss the review of firearms legislation.

(161768)

298
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions he has had with the police regarding the Department's review of firearms legislation.

(161769)

299
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to set up a working group to review the Firearms Rules 1998.

(161770)

300
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what principles guide the Home Office's relations with stakeholders with regard to firearms legislation.

(161771)

301
Mr Martin Salter (Reading West):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with which organisations he has discussed the Home Office review of firearms legislation.

(161772)

302
Phil Sawford (Kettering):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers there were in England and Wales in (a) May 1993 and (b) May 1997.

(161677)

Questions to the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission

303
Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the honourable Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what recent steps have been taken to provide fire safety training for (a) honourable Members, (b) their staff and (c) officials of the House; and if he will make a statement on current fire safety arrangements in place for (i) the Palace of Westminster and (ii) other buildings of the Parliamentary estate.

(161920)

Questions to the Secretary of State for International Development

304
Mr John Bercow (Buckingham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many conferences were hosted by his Department (a) at home and (b) abroad, in the year to 29th February; and what the cost was of attending these conferences, broken down by (i) travel costs, (ii) food and drink costs, (iii) accommodation costs and (iv) miscellaneous costs.

(161691)

305
N Sue Doughty (Guildford):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what programmes his Department has introduced to involve Iraqi women in (a) government and (b) other areas of public life in Iraq; and if he will list the(i) personnel and (ii) funding that have been committed.

(161475)

306
Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of (a) the quality of HIV treatment available in Zambia and (b) the extent to which treatment has improved in recent years; and how many people have died from HIV/AIDS in Zambia in each of the last five years.

(161795)

307
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will make a statement on the aid given to UNHCR to assist in the care and resettlement of West African refugees, with particular reference to those in Guinea; and what recent sums have been allocated.

(161947)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

308
N David Burnside (South Antrim):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his Answer of 2nd March, Official Report, column 836W, on ceasefire breaches, what criteria he uses to assess whether there has been a breach of a ceasefire by a paramilitary group; and how many times since January these criteria have been met by the actions of the (a) Provisional IRA, (b) UDA and (c) UVF.

(161469)

309
N Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the average journey time is for ambulances stationed at the Lagan Valley hospital to respond to emergency calls in the Lisburn City area; and what plans he has to provide additional ambulance cover at the Lagan Valley hospital between the hours of 22.00 and 08.00 on Sunday to Thursday each week.

(161519)

310
N Mr Jeffrey M. Donaldson (Lagan Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the waiting times for appointments were at (a) ophthalmology and (b) ear, nose and throat clinics in the (i) Down Lisburn Trust, (ii) South and East Belfast Trust, (iii) North and West Belfast Trust and (iv) Ulster Community and Hospital Trust.

(161525)

311
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people applying to the Police Service of Nothern Ireland since its formation have been refused a place on the training course as a result of failing to achive the necessary (a) colour vision and (b) body mass index.

(161798)

312
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to increase provision for multiple sclerosis sufferers in (a) North Down and (b) Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

(161888)

313
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what (a) meetings and (b) communications he has had with the organisers of the 2012 London Olympic bid in relation to promoting Northern Ireland as a venue for games events.

(161889)

314
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many beds there were in the NHS in Northern Ireland in each year since 2000; and if he will make a statement.

(161890)

315
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many responses to the Office of Law Reform's consultation Physical Punishment in the Home supported (a) the law as it stands, (b) a change in the law to restrict smacking by parents and (c) a change in the law to completely ban smacking by parents.

(161892)

316
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with what frequency safety inspections are carried out on Translink rolling stock, broken down by type.

(161893)

317
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which organisation is responsible for the (a) inspection and (b) maintenance of railway lines in Northern Ireland; how often safety inspections are carried out on railway lines in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

(161894)

318
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the future of the post office network in (a) North Down and (b) Northern Ireland.

(161895)

319
Lady Hermon (North Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many people were receiving treatment for alcohol addiction in Northern Ireland on 1st March; what facilities are available in Northern Ireland for the treatment of alcoholics; and if he will make a statement.

(161896)

320
Mr Eddie McGrady (South Down):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions there have been between the Minister for the Environment and his counterpart in the Republic of Ireland, regarding the illegal dumping of refuse from the Republic of Ireland on the northern side of the border.

(161678)

321
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what powers are available to him to ensure that those insurance companies operating within Northern Ireland who are not members of the Association of British Insurers are able to discharge their present and future obligations to those who have placed business with them; and if he will make a statement.

(161676)

322
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps are being taken to minimise anti-social behaviour in (a) accident and emergency departments and (b) hospitals in general; and if he will make a statement.

(161680)

323
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what percentage of births were to teenage mothers in each of the last 10 years, broken down by health board area.

(161681)

324
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the cost of facilitating segregation between Loyalist and Republican prisoners has been in the last 10 years; and what estimate he has made of future costs to maintain the system.

(161682)

325
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what opportunity Key Stage 3 of the education curriculum will provide for all children to participate in physical activity.

(161683)

326
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps are being taken to enhance (a) co-operation and (b) communication between local agencies involved in health promotion.

(161684)

327
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what sanctions are available to penalise taxi drivers who intentionally (a) turn off the meters in their vehicles and (b) overcharge passengers; and if he will make a statement.

(161685)

328
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps are being taken to facilitate urgent dental procedures in children with special needs.

(161686)

329
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the value of assets (a) recovered and (b) frozen is since the Assets Recovery Agency was formed.

(161687)

330
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps are being taken to ensure that young adults with complex medical needs have equality of access to dental care.

(161688)

331
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on availability of dental services for young people aged 14 years and above with complex medical needs.

(161689)

332
Mrs Iris Robinson (Strangford):To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make a statement on the withdrawal of dental services for young people at Muckamore Abbey Hospital.

(161690)

Questions to the Prime Minister

333
Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Prime Minister, when he was first informed of the covert nuclear proliferation activities of Abdul Qadir Khan, to which he made reference in his speech on global security issues on 5th March.

(161753)

334
Llew Smith (Blaenau Gwent):To ask the Prime Minister, whether he has discussed with the other four permanent members of the United Nations Security Council the proposals for reform of the role of the United Nations set out in his speech on global security threats in Sedgefield on 5th March.

(161754)

335
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Prime Minister, if he will make it his policy during the United Kingdom's presidency of the EU, to remove agricultural protectionism from Europe as a means of promoting international development; and if he will make a statement.

(161942)

Questions to the Solicitor General

336
Mr Simon Thomas (Ceredigion):To ask the Solicitor General, when she will write to the honourable Member for Ceredigion with a substantive answer to the Question tabled by him on 13th October 2003, reference 132362.

(161918)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

337
N Mr James Clappison (Hertsmere):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she will answer the Question from the honourable Member for Hertsmere tabled on 26th February, reference 157862.

(161471)

338
Mr Ian Davidson (Glasgow Pollok):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what steps are being taken to ensure that beer drinkers receive a full pint of liquid.

(162004)

339
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans there are to develop wind farms in (a) Lancashire and (b) the North West.

(161799)

340
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent assessment she has made of the ability of renewable energy sources to meet an increase in demand for electricity over the next decade.

(161812)

341
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent estimates she has made of the change in demand for electricity over the next decade.

(161813)

342
Mr Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the change in demand for electricity over the past decade was in (a) the North West and (b) the United Kingdom.

(161817)

343
Michael Fabricant (Lichfield):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the Royal Mail's postage paid service in relation to (a) the fine imposed by Postcomm for next day delivery rate between April 2002 and March 2003 and (b) the drop in performance in next day delivery rate for the same service between April and December 2003, as cited in the Postcomm document dated 2nd March.

(161679)

344
Mr Adrian Flook (Taunton):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, how many post offices that Tesco announced would be closed since it took over T&S Stores have since been reprieved by Tesco.

(161862)

345
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make it her policy to propose legislation to provide for (a) the right of trade unions to extend collective bargaining issues to include pensions, equality and training, (b) the right to be represented by a union representative in grievance and disciplinary hearings, (c) employment rights starting from the first day of employment, (d) the removal of thresholds required to be achieved to win trade union recognition, (e) recognition rights to companies of less than 21 workers, (f) a guaranteed right to strike without being in breach of contract, (g) qualifying criteria for non-independent unions to meet in order to gain recognition in an organisation, (h) an increase in penalties for those companies refusing to comply with reinstatement orders from tribunals and (i) the right of workers to be represented by the union of their choice; and if she will make a statement.

(161965)

346
Mr Jimmy Hood (Clydesdale):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the outcome was of the Competitiveness Council on 11th March; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement.

(161941)

347
Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of (a) the legal protection afforded to people who become involved in holiday clubs which fail to deliver what is promised, and (b) how it compares with the protection afforded to people who purchase time shares; and if she will make a statement.

(161964)

348
Bob Spink (Castle Point):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent discussions she has had with partner countries on the location of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor facility; and if she will make a statement on the current state of negotiations.

(161943)

349
Mr Tom Watson (West Bromwich East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursant to the Answer of 11th March, Official Report, column 1683W, on Nirex, what the last date was on which the Department discussed the budget for Nirex with (a) BNFL and (b) British Energy.

(161969)

350
Mr Tom Watson (West Bromwich East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her Answer of 11th March, Official Report, column 1675W, on British Nuclear Fuels, what discussions officials have had with BNFL about the fixed price contract for nuclear clean-up in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

(161973)

351
Mr Tom Watson (West Bromwich East):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, if she will make a statement on the use of fixed price contracts for the clean-up of radioactively contaminated sites by BNFL.

(161974)

352
Dr Alan Whitehead (Southampton, Test):To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what arrangements she is making to ensure that shredded tyres going to landfill are usable in shredded form for other purposes once they are no longer permitted to be placed in landfill sites.

(161782)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Transport

353
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will introduce requirements for (a) eyesight tests, (b) a road test and road awareness programme, (c) a requirement to have insurance, (d) a set maintenance standard and (e) training and testing, for people wishing to drive motorised scooters and if he will make a statement.

(161966)

354
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) deaths and (b) injuries have been recorded as a result of accidents involving motorised scooters in 2003.

(162007)

355
Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his Answer of 10th March, Official Report, column 1488W, on rail compensation, if he will list (a) the compensation arrangements for delays and cancellations, of each train operation company's Passenger Charter and (b) the date when each of the franchises is due for renewal.

(162013)

356
Mr Nigel Jones (Cheltenham):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received from people who are unable to renew their vehicle excise duty at the appropriate time owing to being out of the country for the period before their existing vehicle excise duty expires; if he will allow a period of grace so that such people can tax their cars on their return to the United Kingdom and not be prosecuted for driving without having paid the duty during the period of grace; and if he will make a statement.

(161963)

357
Mr Peter Luff (Mid Worcestershire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons train drivers are required to use GPS in addition to visual checks to establish their location on station platforms.

(161773)

358
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will require Safety Camera Partnerships to release funding for local road safety projects, with particular reference to the police-led BikeSafe initiative; and if he will make a statement.

(161656)

359
Lembit Öpik (Montgomeryshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many powered two wheeler users involved in accidents were (a) killed and (b) seriously injured during 2003; and if he will make a statement.

(161671)

360
Mr Tom Watson (West Bromwich East):To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many contracts, and of what value, the Strategic Rail Authority has placed with Steer Davies Gleave in each of the last five years.

(161794)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Wales

361
Mr Simon Thomas (Ceredigion):To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when he last met representatives from the Rail Passenger Council in Wales.

(161647)

Questions to the Minister for Women

362
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Minister for Women, what grants have been allocated to the Equal Opportunities Commission over the last five years; and if she will make a statement on changes in the level of funding during that time.

(161921)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

363
N Brian Cotter (Weston-Super-Mare):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will list the support programmes for small businesses that (a) his Department and (b) its agencies have financed in each of the last five years; how much money was allocated for each scheme in each year; how much money has gone unclaimed under each scheme; and how many small businesses have benefited from each scheme.

(161257)

364
Annabelle Ewing (Perth):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were eligible for direct payments in Scotland in (a) 2000-01, (b) 2001-02 and (c) 2002-03, broken down by local authority area.

(161755)

365
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people were receiving funding from the carers grant (a) in England and (b) broken down by local authority in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

(161929)

366
N Mr Bill O'Brien (Normanton):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason working tax credit payments are taken into account in assessment of maintenance payments in respect of non-resident parents; and if he will make a statement.

(160841)

367
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will amend the regulations for the Child Support Agency so that payments given by firms to staff to enable them to obtain a car for company business are excluded as income when calculating maintenance payments; and if he will make a statement.

(162003)

368
Bob Russell (Colchester):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the value of a company car provided by firms is counted as income by the Child Support Agency when calculating maintenance payments; and if he will make a statement.

(162006)

369
N Mr Peter Viggers (Gosport):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects to finalise plans for existing payments under the Child Support Agency to be transferred to the new system of calculating payments.

(160110)

370
N Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to his Statement on 2nd March, Official Report, column 763, if he will place in the Library a copy of the actuarial simulations that have been produced for the projected finances of the pension protection fund on a range of different assumptions.

(161622)

371
N Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he will answer question reference 148968, tabled by the honourable Member for Northavon on 15th January.

(161623)

372
N Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he will answer question reference 147652, tabled by the honourable Member for Northavon on 8th January.

(161624)

373
N Steve Webb (Northavon):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he will answer question reference 151019, tabled by the honourable Member for Northavon on 21st January.

(161625)

374
N Mr Roger Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the Department's policy is on up-rating pensions for British pensioners living in (a) EU countries and (b) EU accession countries.

(160752)

375
N Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough):To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether a final date has been set after which pensioners who do not want to change their payment arrangements will no longer be able to use pension books.

(161474)

Questions to Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer

376
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the greatest number of civil servants that could be moved from central London to other parts of the country; and if he will make a statement.

[Transferred] (161953)

377
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the initial set-up costs of relocating 20,000 civil servants away from the South East.

[Transferred] (161954)

378
Mr Oliver Heald (North East Hertfordshire):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects to make an announcement about the relocation of civil servants away from London and the South East.

[Transferred] (161955)

379
Mr Stephen Hepburn (Jarrow):To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people in (a) the Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the United Kingdom receive working tax credit.

[Transferred] (161897)

Questions to the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs

380
Sandra Gidley (Romsey):To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs, what assessment he has made of the ruling of November 2001 by Mr Justice Munby.

[Transferred] (161933)

Questions to the Deputy Prime Minister

381
Mr Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater):To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, what help will he give to help retain fire stations under the Fire and Rescue Services Bill.

[Transferred] (161866)

Questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

382
Mrs Janet Dean (Burton):To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many grants to aid domestic energy efficiency there were in (a) Staffordshire and (b) the Burton constituency in each of the last three years; and what the total cost of such grants was.

[Transferred] (161840)

Questions to the Secretary of State for the Home Department

383
Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what method was used to estimate the effect on crime rates of the increased use of prison set out on page 16 of Managing Offenders, Reducing Crime: A New Approach; and if he will list the sources used in the preparation of the estimate.

[Transferred] (161722)

384
Mr Mark Oaten (Winchester):To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the evidential basis is for the statement on page 15 of Managing Offenders, Reducing Crime: A New Approach that 100,000 persistent offenders commit 50 per cent. of all crime.

[Transferred] (161723)

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Revised 15 March 2004